


The Fall

by Alberta_Sunrise



Series: Lana Sol [1]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Hurt Mando, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Mild Smut, Self-Harm, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:00:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26256781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alberta_Sunrise/pseuds/Alberta_Sunrise
Summary: She often scavenged in these parts and it wasn’t unusual for her to find the bodies of men who had gotten on the wrong side of Jawas. It was unusual however for her to find a Mandalorian clinging to life with a strange child but that's what she’d come across and now she had to decide. Does she wait till he’s dead and pick his body for parts or does she try and save him.
Series: Lana Sol [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1983589
Comments: 16
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thought of this whilst watching the episode from like the 20th time. Even with armour on surely a fall that far would do some serious damage so this is a little what-if. Hope you like and let me know what you think!!

He could feel the vaults of electricity course through his body, rendering him paralysed and causing him to fall backwards off the top of the Sandcrawler. He screamed out at the pain the shock brought him, watching as the place from which he fell getting further and further away. His body made a dull thud as it hit the ground. His armour clinking and clanging as pieces of it knocked together. Within seconds of his body connecting with the ground, he felt his consciousness being ripped from him. His last thought being that he hoped that someone would find the kid before other hunters did as he knew he was for the worms, breathing getting harder and harder as his eyes drifted shut and darkness took him. The child looked at the metal man with his big brown orbs, waiting for him to sit up and look at him but he didn’t and so the child just continued to sit and wait.

§

A glint caught her eye as her eyes scanned the vast nothingness around her. She was starting to think she’d find nothing on this trip but what every was catching the sun in the distance could be her salvation so she picked up her pace. As she got closer she noticed that there was an oval-shaped object that hovered next to her quarry and as the shape became clearer she realised that it was a man in armour.

_It’s a Mandalorian_ she thought to herself as his helmet came into view.

His Beskar helmet shone in the fading sun and she thought about all the things she could buy with the money she would make from it. It was worth a fortune! As she got closer she could see a small puddle of blood that had started to pool beneath his head. Her eyes drifted to the floating egg-shaped object and she was shocked to see that there was a child inside it. It was not like any child she had ever seen, its ears were long and its head was covered with what could only be described as fluff. Her stomach sank as she saw the sadness in its eyes, her eyes following his to the bleeding figure on the floor.

‘Is that your father?’ She asked as she looked at the child again and pointed at the Mandalorian.

The baby looked just chirped, its head tilting to one side as if to hear her better.

‘Of course, you can’t talk… you’re a baby.’ she scolded herself as she edged closer to the prone figure.

Kneeling beside the metal man she tried to feel for a pulse but the fabric covering his neck was too thick. Her question to whether or not he was still alive was answered by the unsteady rise and fall of his chest and she could now faintly hear breathing through the modulator in his helmet.

‘He’s still alive little man.’ she stated as she looked at the worried child, his ears dipping as he watched her work.

She slipped her hand to the back of his neck and found it to be warm, wet and sticky and she pulled her hand away to see it painted in fresh blood.

‘Well you’ve gotten yourself into a state haven't you.’ she stated as she wiped the blood onto her pant leg and thought about how on earth she was going to move him.

She placed her hands on either side of his helmet and tried to lift it but two strong hands stopped her.

‘No.’ the Mandalorian breathed as he tried to move, only to scream in agony as pain surged through his broken body.

‘Sorry.’ she stuttered as she pulled her hands away ‘What happened to you?’

‘Fell.’ he breathed, the pain making it almost impossible to concentrate on anything.

‘Fell from what?’

‘Sandcrawler.’ he replied, his head rolling slowly to the left so that he could see the child.

_What were you doing on top of one?_ she thought to herself as she sat back on her rump, resting her arm on her knee.

‘Well, we can’t move you easily then.’ She stated as she wiped her brow with the back of her hand ‘god knows what damage you’ve done to yourself falling a distance like that.’

The Mandalorian didn’t reply, his gaze was fixed on the small creature in his floating pram. She wondered what the child was to him? She knew little of Mandalorian’s but she did know that they weren’t the settle down and have a family type of people.

‘What is your name?’ came a weak voice, pulling her from her thoughts.

‘What me?’ she said as she looked at him with surprise.

‘Who else is around.’ he joked, his breathing becoming more laboured.

‘Lana.’ she replied, her cheeks flushing a little.

It had been a long time since anyone had asked her a personal question. She hoped that her embarrassment would be put to the cooling air as the sun started to fall behind the orange cliffs that surrounded them.

‘Thank you.’

‘What for?’ said Lana as she looked at him with a perplexed expression.

‘Helping… m… me.’ The Mandalorian burst into a fit of coughing, his body screaming in pain with each violent movement.

‘Whoa.’ She tried to steady the hunter as his head fell back onto the sand, his chest heaving as he attempted to catch his breath ‘We need to get you out of here or you are going to die right here in the middle of nowhere.’

He did not reply. His vision was darkening as unconsciousness called to him again and he did not fight it for there was no pain there. Lana watched as the man went limp, his head lolling to one side. She lowered her head down towards his helmet and her ears were greeted by the sound of him breathing so she released the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. Now she just needed to figure out what she was going to do. Her speeder had a trailer attached to the back but it was a little way back, could she really leave him alone in this state?

_Don’t think I have a choice_ she thought to herself as she pushed herself to her feet.

She noticed the child was watching her, his ears bobbing up and down as it stared her down with its huge eyes.

‘I need to get my speeder.’ She said as she tickled the baby behind it ears which made it chirp with joy. ‘I’ll be as quick as I can but he’s gonna die if I don’t move him.’

The baby didn’t reply, just watched her intently as she sprinted off into the distance. She didn’t know why she was working so hard to save this man but she felt drawn to him. The fact he had a child with him who was clearly attached to him surely meant that he wasn’t a bad man. She hoped her hut feeling was right.

§

He could feel his body gently rocking from side to side as he cracked his eyes open to see he was laying on the back of what appeared to be a cart. He tried to lift his head but the movement hit him with a wave of dizziness and pain so he decided that getting up wasn't an option. He caught a glimpse of the child out of the corner of his eye floating next to him and he breathed a sigh of relief, he was ok. He wasn’t sure where he was going, he just hoped that where ever it was, it was safe. They came stopped and Lana’s face came into view. She smiled at him grimly as she grabbed him by his shoulders and started to drag him gently towards the edge of the trailer. She placed a thick tarp on the ground and then grabbed his shoulders again.

‘Think you could do that magic thing again buddy and help me lower him onto the ground?’ she said.

_What magic thing?_ he thought to himself but he could feel his eyes getting heavier again.

It felt like there was a Wookie sitting on his chest. His lungs hurt with each shaky breath he took. There wasn’t a single part of his body that didn’t hurt, and he scrunched his eyes shut readying himself for the impact of his legs hitting the ground but it never came. He opened his eyes to see that he was now on the tarp and being dragged through a narrow door into a dimly lit hallway. Lana dragged the broken man into her living quarters and bringing him to a stop beside a battered couch.

‘Lana is that you?’ came a woman's voice as an older lady walked into the room ‘who is that?’

'He’s a Mandalorian mother.’

‘I can see that Lana.’ she replied as she put her hands on her hips ‘what's he doing on my floor?’

‘He’s injured’ she replied ‘badly… I couldn’t just leave him there mum. He has a child.’ she motioned to the Baby who was hanging from his pram by one hand.

Lana went to catch him but the kid landed on his feet and waddled to the hunter's side. The Mandalorian opened his mouth to speak but found that words escaped him, as was the ability to keep his eyes open.

‘Okay lets get him up on the couch and I will take a look at him.’ her mother huffed in reply as she grabbed the mans legs and helped her daughter lift him.

She went to lift his helmet but Lana stopped her, shaking her head at her mother ‘you can’t take off his helmet.’

‘Well how the hell am I supposed to see the extent of his injuries if the helmet stays on?’ she spat as she threw her arms up in defeat ‘what happened for him to get these injuries anyway?’

‘He fell from the top of Sandcrawler.’

‘What was he doing on top of one of those?’ Lana shrugged at her mother’s question before she began to unbuckle the armour on that covered his body and opened his flight suit to reveal a body that was black and blue. 

‘I’ll fetch the scanner.’ Lana said as she jumped to her feet and started to rummage around a pack that sat on one of the many sets of shelves that were dotted around the room ‘found it.’ she said as she sprinted back to her mother.

She watched she waved the device over the man, tutting and cursing at the results it spat back at her.

‘It’s amazing that he's still alive.’ she stated as she read the readings ‘most of his bones are broken. Amazingly he doesn’t appear to have any internal bleeding.’

‘So he’ll heal?’

‘Lana you should have put the man down when you found him’ 

‘What… why?’

‘His back is broken.’ she said plainly as she looked at her daughter ‘even if he survives this he’s not going to be able to walk again. He’s almost certainly got a head injury, he’s bleeding from somewhere on his head and that is most likely what will kill him.’

Lana felt her heart sink at her mother’s statement. She had spoken barely three words to the man yet she found herself wanting to save him and she didn’t understand why.

‘Do it.’ the statement made the two women jump as they both gave him a bemused look. 

‘Do what?’ asked Lana’s mother, her eyes drifting down to his hand that now held a vibroblade.

‘I heard you.’ he replied weakly ‘I’d rather die than be a cripple.’

They looked at each other and then back at the warrior, unsure what to make of the warrior’s request.

‘Please.’


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this got dark... hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think... please no pitchforks

The Mandalorian had slipped back into unconsciousness a little while after begging Lana and her mother to kill him. Lana’s heart had broken for the man. The vulnerability that had echoed in his voice was not something one expected from a man who was supposedly among one of the best warriors in the galaxy. She watched the child coo over him whilst he slept, placing his small little hands on the man's arm he squeezed his large eyes and Lana watched with intrigue. The small thing shook with what looked like great effort and then collapsed at his side. The woman dashed to check on him and found that he was still breathing and she then looked at the Mandalorian. She leapt from her skin when the man started to gasp for breath, his hand gripping the edge of the couch he lay on tightly as he fought to breathe. Lana’s heart started to race as she dropped to her knees beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Can’t... breathe.’ he gasped, terror touched his tone.

‘Mother.’ She screamed as she tried to keep him still, knowing that him moving the way he was dangerous.

‘What happened?’ she asked as she sprinted to her daughter’s side.

‘I don’t know.’ she said, her voice trembling ‘he just started to gasp for breath. He says he can’t breathe!’

Lana’s mother ran the scanner over the man again and cursed at what it told her. Jumping to her feet she grabbed the bag her daughter had retrieved the scanner from and brought it over to the gasping hunter.

‘What is it?’ Lana asked as she looked at her mother rummaging through the contents of the bag.

‘His lung’s collapsed.’ She stated as she pulled out a long needle ‘one of his many broken ribs must have punctured it.'

The older woman then opened the man’s flight suit with one swift movement and stabbed the large needle into his chest. There was a quiet hiss followed then by the Mandalorian sucking in a pained breath before his body went limp again. Her mother started to check over his other injuries and was surprised to see that a lot of his superficial wounds had healed completely which made Lana wonder.

‘Hmmm that’s strange.’ her mother said to herself before slipping her hand up the back of that mans helmet slightly and finding fresh blood there ‘I need to treat this head wound but I can’t with his helmet on.’

‘You can’t take it off mother you know that.’ said Lara as she put her hand on her mother’s forearm.

‘Yes yes Lana I know but it will be pointless for me to treat the rest of his injuries if he ends up dying from a head wound.’ she spat before getting to her feet and walking to the kitchen where she proceeded to wash the blood from her hand.

‘What if I were to fetch a medical droid?’ asked the girl as she stood and walked towards her mother ‘I know that Jana has one.’

‘Why do you want to save this man so much?’ he mother questioned, leaning against the counter on her hands ‘what is he to you?’

‘I don’t know.’ replied Lana, shrugging at her mother ‘I just feel have a feeling.’

‘Hmmm.’ Her mother gave her an unconvinced look ‘well how do you expect us to pay for a medical droid?’

‘Jana owes me a favour.’ replied Lana as she grabbed her blaster from the side ‘I am going to go and fetch him.’

‘So I suppose you want me to take care of him whilst you’re gone?’ grumbled her mother as she pointed at the unconscious man on the couch.

‘I won’t be long.’ the girl replied before she sprinted out the door.

Lana’s mother watched her daughter leave and let out a loud sigh, her eyes trailing to the wounded warrior. She saw the child laying awkwardly next to him so walked over and picked the tiny creature up and placed him in his crib knowing he’d be more comfortable there. She studied the child, he looked old but it was clear that he was a baby to his species. He was like nothing she’d ever seen before and she wondered how the Mandalorian had come to be in possession of such a strange creature. Her attention was drawn back to her patient who had started to stir, turning around she walked back to him and perched herself on the edge of the table opposite him.

‘Where am I?’ he asked as he scanned his surrounding.

‘Arvala-7. replied the woman ‘my daughter found you half-dead on the desert floor.’

‘Lana?’ he questioned as he shifted his head to look at her.

‘What do you remember?’

‘I remember falling.’ he said, his voice strained ‘your daughter finding me... then it goes blank.’

The woman’s stomach sank a little at his reply. It meant that he didn’t remember what he had asked them to do just a few hours before.

‘How bad are my injuries.’ he asked his eye’s flitting between the child and the woman.

‘Serveral broken bones, punctured lung.’ she sat up straight ‘you have a head injury that I can’t treat because apparently we can’t remove your helmet.’

The Mandalorian tried to move into a more comfortable position and that’s when he realised something wasn’t right.

‘I can’t feel my legs.’ he stated, a touch of fear in his words.

The woman looked at him sadly, thinking carefully about what she was going to say.

‘Why can’t I move my legs?’ he probed further as he started to panic, his breathing getting faster.

‘You’ve broken your back.’ she stated as she leaned forward and placed a friendly hand on his arm ‘Lana has gone to fetch a medical droid so that we can treat the head injury and hopefully they will be able to help with your back.’

The Mandalorian said nothing but his emotions hung heavily in the air like smoke from a fire. Her heart broke for him. She had heard stories of the Mandalorians and how they were the greatest fighters but she also knew the did not often make old bones.

‘You should sleep.’ she said softly ‘Lana will be back soon.’ she finished as she gave his arm a gentle squeeze and rose to her feet.

‘What’s your name?’

‘Arian.’ she replied as she turned to face him.

‘Thank you, Arian.’ He said as he gave her a gentle nod.

Arian smiled and nodded back at him before leaving him to rest. She knew that they were limited in what they could do for him. Arvala-7 was a sparsely populated planet, most moving here to get away from the dangers of the rest of the galaxy. Jana had moved here a little over a year ago and had become the local healer, much to Arian’s relief. Up until then, she had been the person to go to but she was getting on now and she preferred to live a quiet life and so when Jana had come along she had found that any other residents went to him.

A few hours passed before Lana returned, with the healer and his droid. Jana was a small man and at a glance, one could mistake him for a child but when you saw his face you realised he certainly was not. His dark eyebrows stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin. His lips framed by a thick black beard that trailed halfway down his thick neck.

‘How is he?’ Asked Lana as she walked briskly to Din's side.

‘No change since you left.’ she replied matter of factly.

‘What’s his condition?’ the man asked as he came to stand next to Arian.

‘Several broken bones including his ribs, suffered a punctured lung, definite head injury.’

‘Is that it?’ he replied as she tapped away at a device on his wrist.

‘No.’ she replied, her tone becoming solemn

‘What else?’ Probed Jana as he looked up at the older woman.

‘His back is broken.’ she stated, her eyes fixed on the sleeping man.

‘He must have fallen a great distance to sustain injuries like these.’

‘He fell from a Sandcrawler.’ stated Lana as she looked at her mother with sad eyes.

‘Right well I will get my droid to take a look at his head injury and then we’ll go from there.’ he said as he looked at the droid who watched him intently ‘you’re up 2.’

The droid nodded before walking stiffly to the Mandalorian’s side, scanning the warrior before turning his head to look at his master.

‘I need to remove his helmet in order to assess the seriousness of his head wound.’ he stated.

‘Go ahead then.’ said the man as he motioned for his droid to get on with it.

‘The man is a Mandalorian.’

‘I can see that 2… what’s your point?’

‘It is forbidden for a Mandalorian to remove his helmet in front of another living thing. As I am not a living thing I can but you must leave’

The man huffed in response before the three humans shuffled out of the room. They sat outside and waited for the medical droid to tell them that they were able to go back in again.

‘How an earth did you score a 2-1B medical droid?’ Questioned Lana as she looked at the man.

‘I found him, fixed him up and now he serves me’ the man stated and Lana did not probe him any further but she knew there was more to it than that. 

They sat in silence for some time, watching as the sun started to fall behind the horizon. Lana had always hated this planet, it was so quiet but she appreciated its beauty. She only wished that the could get away and see other worlds but she knew her mother would never allow it, she was doomed to die on this barren planet. The sound of metal against metal sounded and they looked up to see the droid emerging through the doorway, stopping in front of them.

‘I have done all I can for the Mandalorian.’ he stated as his head flicked between the three of them ‘His head wound would have indeed been fatal but I have administered Bacta to treat it and given him severalBacta injections to aid the bones healing. It may or may not help with his back. Only time will tell.’

‘Thank you 2.’ replied Arian as she stood from her seat.

Lana stood up too and without saying a work sprinted into the house, where she found the Mandalorian laying there, his chest now bound with a clean white bandage. She noticed his helmet moving, following her movements as she walked towards him.

‘How are you feeling?’ she asked as she sat down on the table next to him.

‘Better thank you.’ he stated but Lana knew that was a lie.

He had to be in immense pain but at least the head wound was no longer an issue. She sat and watched him for a moment, his pain evident from his shaky breathing.

‘Thank you.’ he said suddenly drawing her attention back to the Beskar face.

‘You are welcome.’ she replied as she smiled at him sweetly.

‘What are my chances?’

Lana’s head tiled to one side as she gave him a bemused look ‘what do you mean?’

‘I asked the droid what my chances were of walking again but he did not answer me.’ he replied ‘what are my chances of getting out of here?’

‘I… uh?’ Lana sat here with her mouth wide open.

‘No one can answer that Mando.’ Came a male voice from behind her ‘my droid has done what he can for you but you need to rest. Arian will be able to monitor your recovery from here on in and hopefully with time you will heal.’

The man nodded, glad his helmet hid the tears that pricked his eyes.

‘I take my leave now.’ said Jana as he nodded at them all and made his way to the door.

‘Thank you for your help.’ Lana shouted after him before she looked back at the hunter ‘rest.’ she said as she stood and walked out of the room after her mother, the room growing dark as the lights dimmed behind them.

Din lay there for some time with his thoughts. What was he supposed to do if he couldn’t walk again? He couldn’t like his life like that! The longer he dwelt on it the darker his thoughts became. He looked to his right to see his weapons laid down on the floor next to him, his eyes settling on his blade. He reached for it, groaning at the pain this brought him but after some effort, he managed to grab the hilt. Lifting it he looked at metal as it glinted in the low light, the blade edge deadly sharp. He ignited the weapon and watched as it started to vibrate, the movement was so fast that it was impossible to follow but then the blade stilled and once again looked like any other knife. The man knew his chances of healing were slim, he couldn’t see any other option. He brought the blade to his wrist, hissing as it pierced his soft flesh. Blood started to gush from the fresh wound and Din dropped the blade, his arm falling over the edge of the couch as his consciousness started to slip away. 

§

Lana was woken by the sound of the child screaming and she leapt out of her bed. Throwing on her robe she dashed out of her room and towards the sound that had rudely woken her. The lights flicked on and she gasped at what she saw. 

'No.' she breathed as she dashed to the Mandalorian's side. 

Her hand covering her mouth as she saw the pool of blood that covered the stone floor and sat in the middle a blade, its edge painted red. Lana felt sick as she dropped to her knees, not caring that her knees were now covered in the red liquid. 

'What have you done?' she breathed before her mother ran in, stumbling backwards at the sight of her daughter kneeling in a pool of blood. 

'Oh god'


	3. Chapter 3

Arian walked into what looked like a battlefield. There was blood pooling on the floor beside her couch, her daughter covered in it as she frantically tried to stop any more from escaping the Mandalorian’s gaping wound.

‘What the hell happened?’

‘I heard the child scream and I walked in to find him bleeding to death.’ Replied Lana.

‘Shit’ breathed the older woman as she saw the full extent of his blood loss ‘is he even still alive?’

‘Yes.’ replied her daughter in a panicked tone ‘but only just we need to stop the bleeding.’

Arian dashed to her bag and fetched out a needle, thread, along with bandages, some cloths and Bacta. Sprinting back to her daughter's side she worked quickly to clean the wound so that she was able to see it better to stitch it. When she was happy that she could she started to stitch the red flesh back together, dabbing it Bacta when she was done and wrapping it tightly in one of the bandages she had fetched.

‘I suppose I should clean this mess up now.’ she grumbled as she looked around at all the blood that was staining everything it touched ‘Next time you find some broken man in the desert Lana I suggest you leave him there.’

The younger woman looked at her mother with a mixture of sadness and guilt. She still didn’t understand why she had decided to help him and not just rob him for his valuable armour. All she knew was that there was something about this man that drew him to her, like a moth to a flame and so far she’d gotten burnt. Her mother huffed and puffed as she fetched a bowl of water and some fresh cloths and brought them back. She started cleaning the blood off of the stone floor, growling at the red stain it left behind.

‘You’re fixing this.’ she spat as she rang out the cloth and started to mop up another section.

Finally, when she was finished she carried the now red-tinged water and cloths into the kitchen and disposed of them, wiping her sweating brow with her sleeve and glancing at her daughter who was watching the Mandalorian closely. She didn’t understand her daughter’s fascination with this man but a part of her did feel bad for the Mandalorian. To be one of the best fighters in the galaxy only to be reduced to paralysis. She understood what drove him to do what he did, death was better than being reduced to relying on others the rest of your life when you’re so used to being alone. Walking back to her daughter’s side she perched herself beside her and started to inspect the Mandalorian’s condition, his pulse was weak and his skin clammy.

‘Is there a rule against removing a Mandalorian’s gloves?’ she asked Lana, giving her a side glance.

‘I don’t know… why what’s wrong?’

She didn’t say thinking, just grabbed his uninjured arm and pulled off his glove to reveal her suspicions.

‘Shit.’ she breathed, biting her lip as she thought about what to do.

‘What is it?’ her daughter asked again, eyes wide and searching.

‘He’s gone into Hypovolemic Shock’ she stated ‘its the next thing that’ll kill him.’

‘What is that?’

‘Its common with major blood loss.’ she ran her hand through her hair ‘he needs a blood transfusion or he’ll die.’

‘How in the hell are we going to do that?’

‘I have the equipment…’ she paused, grabbing her scanner from her bag ‘but we need someone who’s the same blood type as him or is O negative.’

‘I am.’ piped up Lara as she grabbed her mum's arm ‘I can help him.’

‘No!’ growled her mother ‘the amount of blood he needs is too great for you to help with.’

‘I can at least try mother.’ she begged, ‘please I can’t let him die.’

‘Why?’ He mother exploded ‘why do you want to help this man so much?’

‘I don’t know… I just know I won’t be able to live with myself if he dies.’ she replied, her eyes drifting to the child who was watching them with great interest.

She had almost forgotten the small creature was there, standing she picked it up from its crib and gave it an affectionate cuddle. Arian watched her and her heart softened a little at the sight of her child holding the little green creature.

‘Fine I will set it up.’ she said, her tone different to before ‘but as soon as you've given him all that is safe that is it.’

‘Perhaps we can see if Jana has a blood supply.’

‘Perhaps' her mother replied.

Lana pulled the free couch closer to the one where the Mandalorian lay as her mother prepared the equipment she needed for the transfusion. After positioning some of the cushions so that she would be more comfortable she lay down on the couch and held out her arm so that her Arian could insert the needle into her artery. Lana winced as the needle pierced her flesh and Arian gave her a sympathetic smile as she taped the needle in place and then worked on prepping the unconscious Mandalorian. Pulling up his sleeve she revealed deathly pale skin, she looked desperately for a vein. Her efforts finally rewarded when she found one and managed to insert the needle, allowing the life-saving blood to flow into him. She monitored her daughter closely, watching as her eyes grew heavy and when she had donated enough, Arian stopped it. A small part of her beaming with pride for her daughter's selflessness. 

‘Has it helped him at all?’ Lana asked wearily as she watched her mother wave the scanner over the man.

‘A little but he still needs more.’

‘I will head to Jana’s and see if he can help.’ she said as she tried to sit up.

‘Oh no you don’t.’ said her mother as she gently pushed her daughter back down again ‘I will head to Jana’s, you rest up.’

Lana nodded, too dizzy and weak to argue with her mother. She could already feel herself losing the battle to stay awake and so she decided not to fight it, welcoming darkness's embrace. Arian watched her daughter drift off before returning her attention to the Mandalorian. She hadn’t lied, he had improved a little but he still needed more blood and soon. Jumping to her feet she sprinted out the door and hopped onto her daughter’s speeder.

‘I’m getting too old for this.’ she grumbled before placing her goggles over her eyes and speeding off.

§

Lana woke a little while later. Her head was pounding but she didn’t feel as groggy as she had earlier. Swinging her heads over the edge of the couch, her feet touching the stone floor as she pushed herself up. The Mandalorian was still unconscious but his breathing had seemed to improve a little but his fingers were still tinged blue and his pulse still weak. She hoped her mother would return soon or she feared her donation would come to nothing and the man would die here on her couch. She looked towards the child who was sleeping soundly now in his floating cot and smiled, at least someone was settled. Lana was taken by surprise by the sudden whooshing sound the door as it opened, her mother emerging with a small box in hand.

‘Is that?’ Lana questioned as she walked towards her mother.

‘Yes.’ she replied, sprinting to the hunter's side.

His vitals had started to dip again so she knew she needed to act quickly, pulling out a bag of blood from the box and hooking it up to the tube still in his arm. She managed to hook the bag on the wall, watching as the red liquid travelled down the clear tube towards its target.

After two bags his vitals finally started to level off but Arian knew he wasn’t out of the woods yet. All they could do now was wait and hope that he remained stable.

‘Right I am going to sleep.’ the older woman stated as she headed to her room ‘quite enough excitement for me.’

Lana watched as her mother disappeared through the doorway, returning her attention to the Mandalorian and rubbing her tired eyes.

‘Well looks like I’m bunking with you tonight.’ she said as she got up and curled up on the spare couch again, hoping that was all the surprises they would get that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long. Work's been mad. Will try and update again soon.

The light of morning cracked through the curtains that covered the small windows that framed the room. Lana shaded her sensitive eyes as she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the couch she’d slept on for the night. Last night’s dramas came flooding back as she looked at the blood-stained floor, eyes travelling up to the prone form on the other couch and coming to rest on his Beskar face. A cooing sound came from behind her and she glanced back at the child who stared at her with big his brown orbs.

‘Morning you.’ she said with a smile as she rose to her feet and step quietly over to him, scooping him up in her arms and scratching him affectionately behind the ear.

‘How’s our patient?’ her mother asked as she walked into the room, rubbing her tired eyes.

‘Still unconscious.’ Stated Lana as she popped the child back down in his pram ‘What do you think this little guy eats?’

‘I’m not sure but I am sure I can find something.’ Arian commented as she sidestepped into the kitchen.

The older woman prepared a plate of meat, bread and cheese and handed it to her daughter who knelt in front of the child. Handing it bits of food, she smiled as it nibbled away and burped after finishing. Arian watched her daughter for a moment, a small smile cracking at the corner of her lips before she turned her attention to the fighter on her couch. She walked briskly over to him, kneeling beside him and grabbing the scanner from the pack on the floor. Waving it over his prone form she nodded to herself, happy with the results that came back.

‘He’s stable.’ she said, pulling down the man’s sleeve and covering his skin back up. 

She jumped when a hand grabbed her wrist and looked up to see a helmeted head slightly raised, glaring at her. Arian pulled herself from his grasp and sat back on her rump, studying the man as his head dropped back down onto the couch.

‘Welcome back.’ she grumbled.

‘What happened?’ his voice was quiet and weak.

‘You decided to slice yourself open and bleed out on my floor.’ she replied, motioning to bloodstain underneath her ‘We stitched you up and gave you two transfusions. One of them directly from my daughter.’

The Mandalorian’s gaze drifted to the younger woman who was still feeding the child, giggling as its small green hands reaching out for more food. He watched her for a short while, smiling under his helmet at the woman’s tenderness and he tried to push himself up but that's when reality came crashing back. He’s paralysed.

‘Why are you helping me?’

‘Because my daughter asked me to.’ the woman growled ‘she’s drawn to you apparently.’

Din tilted his head to one side, studying the older woman and taking in her tired features. Her skin was lined with wrinkles, her brown hair streaked with grey and green eyes framed with long dark lashes. The more he looked at her the more he thought he knew her, her eyes familiar and he wracked his brain trying to think why.

‘You should have let me die.’ he grumbled, his tone angry as he returned his attention to his current predicament.

‘Trust me. If had been me that found you in the desert I would have left you where you lay but my daughter decided you were worth saving and I trust my daughter’s instincts.’ the older woman spat as she stood.

The man said nothing, just watched as the woman left and disappeared through a door to the side of the kitchen. His gaze then drifted the Lana and the child. The baby giggling as the younger woman pulled faces at him and tickled his fuzzy head. Lana could feel eyes on her and she turned her head slightly, seeing a black visor burning holes into the back of her head and so she rose to her feet. Walking slowly towards him she felt his eyes tracking her movements as she scooted around furniture and perched on the edge of the table again. There was silence between them, Lana avoiding the man's gaze as she thought about what she would say to him.

‘Why did you save me?’ he said finally, breaking that silence.

‘I uh…’ she fumbled for an answer but came up short ‘I don’t know.’ she shrugged as she picked at her palm.

They were silent again for some time, the child’s babbles and the sound of Lana’s mother working outside was all that could be heard. Neither of them knew what to say to each other.

‘What happens now?’

‘What do you mean.’ Tilting her head as she gave him a bemused look ‘you recover here.’

‘What if I never walk again?’ he quizzed ‘Your mother is not going to want to be stuck with a crippled Mandalorian and its pet.’ he growled.

‘That child is your pet?’ she asked as she pointed at the pram.

‘No…. No sorry, I am just in poor humour.’

‘Hmmm.’ Lana leaned back, propping herself up with her arms behind her ‘well I suppose we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’

‘What?’

‘You need to heal’ she started, her head tilted to the left as she gave him a small smile ‘if you rest and don’t pull any more stunts like you did last night them hopefully with time you’ll walk.’

‘I find that unlikely.’

‘Just trust me please.’ she said, leaning forward onto her now crossed arms. 

The Mandalorian didn’t say another thing and just turned his head so that his eyes were fixed on the ceiling above, tracing shapes in the peeling plaster. Lana pushed herself to her feet and walked gingerly into the kitchen, pouring herself some water from the jug on the side and taking several large gulps before placing the glass on the counter and looking at the warrior again. She grabbed another glass and poured some more of the liquid, grabbing a long straw from the top drawer in front of her. She carried the beverage over to the Mandalorian and sat on the edge of the seat beside him.

‘Here.’ she said as she guided the straw under his helmet which he accepted. 

After a few moments he weakly raised his hand and pushed the glass away ‘thank you.’ he said nodding at her in appreciation.

‘You’re welcome.’ she replied as she placed the glass down on the table.

She jumped as something started to tug at her pant leg, her eyes travelling down to see the child smiling up at her.

‘Oh hey, you.’ she said sweetly as she picked him up and popped him down on her lap.

The small green creature’s large eyes were fixed on the Mandalorian, ears dipped and face sad as it studied him. Lana watched the exchange with curiosity. The child was clearly attached to the Mandalorian and she remembered the scream that had come from it upon seeing the man bleeding to death. She noticed that the man was also clearly attached to it, lifting his arm so that the baby could grab his gloved finger and letting out a quiet chuckle as its tiny claws gripped it tight. Lana popped the child down beside the Mandalorian and stood, walking into the kitchen she started to put together her own plate of food.

‘Hungry?’

‘No… thank you.’

‘Come on you have to eat something.’ she said as she pulled out another plate. ‘I’ll put something together and leave you to eat it on your own.’

‘Thank you.’ he said.

Lana only nodded in response, throwing bread, cheese and meat that her mother had left out and placed it on the plates. Grabbing one she took it over and popped it beside him, scooping the child into her arms as it tried to reach for the meat.

‘Thats for your father.’ she chuckled.

She then grabbed her own plate and walked to her room, pulling the curtain behind them. Din pulled his helmet off, wincing at the pain the action brought him and placing it gently on the floor beside him. The side of his head was still caked in dry blood from his head injury that was now completely healed. He grabbed a piece of bread and tore some off with his teeth, feeling the blood crack with each movement of his jaw. As he ate he pondered Lana’s words. Was there really a chance he could recover from this? He had to believe he could. He couldn't stay here, trapped in a broken body. His eyes caught a glimpse of the bloodstain on the floor and a part of him felt ashamed at what he’d done. _Suicide is the cowards way out_ he thought to himself as he continued to eat. Finishing what he could he then grabbed his helmet and pulled it back over his head, relieved not to feel so exposed. He pondered on her words some more. Could he trust her? She was the reason he was still breathing. Perhaps he should put his faith in her, what more did he have to lose?


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a filler chapter. More drama to come.

A month passed and the Mandalorian made slow but steady progress, his wounds were healing and his strength returning. Arian’s attitude towards him changed very little but Lana had spent a lot of time with him and when she wasn’t scavenging she would sit and talk to him. He didn’t say much back but he appreciated the company. The night before he’d managed to move his legs, only slightly but it had lifted his spirits. Here mother had waved the scanner over him and found that his spine was healing but that he still needed to rest if he had any hope of making a recovery. So he decided that he would do as he was told. The sooner he was back on his feet the sooner he could get the child to the client and collect the bounty.

‘So I came across a ship today not far from where I found you.’ she said as she polished his armour ‘a Razor crest… completely stripped by Jawa’s from the looks of it.’

‘It's my ship.’ he replied.

‘I am assuming you attempted to chase them for your parts and that's how you ended up falling off of the Sandcrawler?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well that solves the mystery of why you’d fallen from one.’ she giggled.

‘I need to get my parts back and get my ship fixed.’

‘Well you’re not going anywhere for a while.’ she stated, placing a comforting hand on his arm when she sensed his anxiety ‘When you’re better I’ll help you get your ship fixed.’

‘There’s an Ugnaught I know that lives not far from here.’ he started ‘He’ll be able to help me.’

‘Ah, Kuill!’

‘You know him?’

‘Yeah, he’s helped me fix up the speeder a few times.’ Lana gave him a nod, smiling at him.

‘Can you get a message to him?’

‘Yes of course.’ She nodded

He reeled off his message to her, all the while hoping that the Jawa’s would still have his parts. He was conscious that he’d been with Lana and her mother a month and that there was a good chance they’d been pawned by now. Lana promised to take the message to Kuill the next day when she headed out to scavenge but she wasn’t sure what help it would be.

§

‘He offered to speak with the Jawas and see if they still had your parts.’ she stated as she took a bite of her dinner ‘if they do he will see what that are willing to accept for them’

‘They’re my parts… they stole them from me.’ he growled.

‘They don’t see it that way.’ she chuckled, taking a swig from her drink before taking another bite of her food.

The Mandalorian said nothing and just watched her as she ate, a small smile tugging at his lips. He’d found himself warming to her. He looked forward to their talks after spending hours laying there alone with nothing but the child for company. He saw little of Arian; their only contact being when she came to check on his progress before disappearing outside of the house and continuing her work.

‘How are you doing?’ said Lana, changing the subject ‘did my mother come and check on you earlier?’

‘Yes.’ he replied, shifting slightly in an attempt to get more comfortable and wincing at the pain it brought him.

‘Oh here let me help.’ Said Lana as she jumped to her feet and helped him move ‘So what did she say?’ She finished as she sat herself back down again.

‘She said that my spine was healing and that in the next few days I could try walking.’

‘That's great!’

Din said nothing. He didn’t want to show that he was scared to try and walk. He had been laying here recovering from a broken spine for over a month and the only thing that had kept him going was the thought that he might walk out of here. Now that he had been told that he should try and walk he was afraid to fail, it wasn’t something he was used to. Lana sensed his unease but chose not to press it any further and so returned her attention to her food. They sat in silence for the rest of the evening before she left him to sleep, taking the child with her as she did every night so that he was able to remove his helmet and sleep more comfortably.

§

Lana held onto Din’s arm as she helped him rise to his feet, doing her best to keep him steady as he wavered a little. Her mother then came to hold him also, placing his other arm around her shoulder.

‘Right small steps.’ she said as she looked at her daughter.

The Mandalorian complied and shuffled forward. His legs were stiff and weak from lack of use but as he took more smaller steps he found it getting easier.

‘That's great.’ grinned Lana.

Din smiled under his helmet, ecstatic that his legs worked but he also felt exhausted. His breathing getting heavier as the effort became too much for him.

‘Right let's get you back into bed.’ Arian stated upon hearing his struggle ‘this is a good start though. We’ll do a little each day and with time your strength will return.’

Din nodded at the older woman and let them both help him back to the couch, glad to be sitting as his chest heaved. Lana handed him a glass with a straw and he sipped at it gratefully, giving her a nod as he handed it back to her. He kept at it, each day walking a little further and getting a little stronger. After a week he was able to walk unaided. Arian couldn’t believe how fast he was healing and found herself impressed with the man's determination to get well. She felt like there was something he hadn’t been telling them but it wasn’t her place to pry, she just wanted her couch back.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies this took so long. Been on holiday. Hope you enjoy!

Another month passed and Din made good progress. He now walked with little or no issues, only suffering a little pain in his back which was something Arian had told him to expect. Kuiil had worked out a deal with the Jawas for the Mandalorian to get his parts back, a deal but one where he did not yet know what it was that they wanted. So the day had come for him to leave, a day that Lana had dreaded but she knew it would come none the less. She had enjoyed the time they had spent together, the draw to him growing as they became closer. She stood beside her mother, heart thumping against her ribs as she watched him hop onto the trailer being pulled by the Ugnaught’s Blurrg. She could feel tears prickling her eyes as he gave her a nod, raising his hand to bid her farewell,

‘Thank you for your aid.’ he said as he lowered his hand to his side ‘I hope to repay the favour one day.’

He patted the bed of the trailer to let the Ugnaught know they were good to go and so Kuiil kicked the Blurrg, its thick legs starting to move.

‘Wait!’ said Lana suddenly, her voice shaking as she quickly glanced at her mother ‘perhaps I should come with you… Just to help you get your ship repaired, you’re still suffering from pain so you will be limited to what you can do.’

‘I would like that.’ said Din, scorning himself for his choice of words ‘What I mean is… I would appreciate the help.’

Lana gave him a smile before skipping over to her speeder, her mother stalking up being her as she watched her daughter mount the bike.

‘What do you think you are doing?’ she growled, her expression stern.

‘I just want to make sure he and the child set off safely.’ she replied.

‘You wanted to go with him… that's what you want to do.’

‘Well did you seriously expect me to want to stay here forever.’ she spat back, keeping her voice low in the hope the others would not hear her ‘besides he probably won’t want me to come with him. I will help him repair his ship and that will be it.’

Arian said no more, just watched and her daughter pull away, keeping a slow pace beside the Blurrg and his trailer. She had a feeling that it was the last she would see of her daughter and it pained her but she knew that she would leave eventually. It took them all morning to get to where the Jawa’s had taken situ, the huge bay door lowering as the small creatures waddled out to meet them. Lana had never seen a Jawa up close, their red glowing eyes made her skin crawl as they sat down so that they were at eye level with them. She heard a pained groan escape Din’s mouth as he sat and her eyes flicked to him before returning to the creatures. She did not understand Jawa but it was clear to her that Mando and the Ugnaught did. They both said things to the Jawa’s, one Jawa shouting something as it waved its hand towards the Mandalorian.

‘You understand this?!’ he shouted as flames erupted from his vambrace.

‘No! Whoa, easy, easy.’ said Kuiil as he grabbed the fighter's arm before continuing to speak Jawa.

The Jawa replied, pointing at the bed which caused the three of them to turn and look at it. A few Jawa’s were swarming the child and Din almost jumped to his feet.

‘Get away from it!’ he growled, the small creatures running and squealing in fear.

‘There must be something else.’ Pleaded Kuiil as he turned to face the creatures again.

Putting its hand on its chin, it turned to face the others and they mumbled between them before it turned back around and made its demands.

‘The Egg? What Egg?’

‘I think they are referring to the Mudhorn.’

‘What? No, he can’t do that!’ Lana blurted out nervously.

Din turned his head to look at her, tilting it to the side and she imagined him glaring at her from beneath his visor.

‘Fine.’ said Din as he turned his head towards the Jawa’s again ‘where will we find this egg?’

§

Din and Lana walked down the ramp, the child’s pram right beside them. Kuiil and the Jawa’s a few paces behind them, watched as the two stalked off into the distance and the Ugnaught nodded his head as he willed them to succeed.

‘Din you can’t do this.’ said Lana as she walked beside him ‘Mudhorns are vicious creatures. You are not fit to face one right now. you could set your recovery back to day one.’

‘You should have stayed behind.’ he stated, his helmet remaining forward as they walked.

‘I couldn’t very well leave you to be killed now could I.’ Lana spat as she too looked forward.

They walked then in silence, coming to a large cave carved into the cliffside. Din and Lana exchanged a look before he tapped away at his Vambrace and raised his hand to motion Lana to stay where she was. He stepped gingerly into the cave, snapping a torch to his helmet as he looked around the dark cavern. The light came to settle on a furry object sat in what could only be described as a nest of mud. He noted something out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to look at it. A large yellow eye flung open and Din pulled his out his blaster, firing at the creature as it stood up and roared at him. Lana heard the sound erupt from the cave which in turn caused her to jump. She started to jog towards the cave but was stopped by the sight of the Mandalorian soaring through the air and coming to land hard on the ground, a loud pained yell falling from his mouth as he attempted to push himself up from the ground.

‘Mando!’ Lana screamed as she ran to his side.

‘I’m fine.’ he grumbled as he allowed her to help him to his feet.

Suddenly she felt herself being flung through the air, the wind being knocked out of her as she hit the ground with a thud. She scrunched her face as she rolled onto her side to see Din a good twenty feet away from her, laying there with his gun laying on the ground a few meters away from her. The creature had turned its attention to the child. Din spotting this and managed to tap a sequence on his vambrace and motion the pram out of the Mudhorn’s way. It crashed against the cliffside and turned clumsily, roaring in frustration before storming at him again. Lana caught her breath and jumped to her feet. Grabbing his weapon she pointed it at the Mudhorn, growling in frustration when she realised that it was jammed. She then stood there helpless as she watched it pin the Mandalorian to the ground with its huge horn, the fighter blasting it with Fire which caused it just step back and shake its head in pain. He fired his grappling hook at the creatures face which made it roar in anger before then charging and dragging him behind it. Din desperately tried to get his footing as the creature pulled him through the mug but in the end, the Mudhorn came to a stop outside the cave and Din was thrown to the ground again. He barely had a chance to ready himself before it charged him and again and threw him through the air, his body hitting the ground with a crunch. Lana watched him for a moment, his body still and her heart started to pound. Her throat bobbed as she looked at the child who’s ears dipped as it stared at the Mandalorian. The Mudhorn was readying itself to charge again, its foot scraping the mud-covered ground as it flared its nostrils at the unconscious warrior. Finally after what felt like an age Din moved and he weakly got to his knees, his exhaustion evident in his body language. Pulling his Vibroblade from its sheath, he held it up in front of him with both hands and held his head low as he waited for the inevitable impact. Lana could only watch as the creature charged at him again, time slowing as it started running towards his with wild eyes and she was completely helpless to stop it. Then the creature stopped and her mouth hung agape as her eyes widened at the sight. Din raised his head slowly and he was greeted by the sight of the mudhorn floating in front of him. He looked at Lana who was stood in shock, his eyes following hers and coming to fall on the child. His hand raised in front of him and his eyes squeezed closed in concentration. Din got to his feet, stumbling as the pain of his battered body hit him. He looked back at the Mudhorn who was squirming in the air, horn waving around in front of it as it tried to wriggle free from its invisible bonds. Suddenly it dropped to the ground and Din jumped back slightly before making the most of the animals stunned state and plunging his blade deep into its neck before it knocked him to the ground again, his head falling back onto the mud as his last bit of energy seeped away. Lana stood there a little while longer, the shock of what she had just witnessed taking a little while to wear off. Finally, she sprinted to the Mandalorian’s side, dropping to her knees as her fingers fumbled with the cowl around his neck. Finally, she was able to pull it down enough that she was able to feel for a pulse, letting out a puff of air when she found one. Pained groans filtered through the modulator in Din’s helmet as he slowly returned to consciousness.

‘Mando can you hear me?’

‘Yes.’

‘Good.’ Lana breathed, wiping her brow with her sleeve as she sat back on her behind.

‘Is it dead.’ he breathed, pain evident in his voice.

‘Yes it’s dead.’ she replied shortly ‘and you’re lucky not to be.’

Din said nothing, just pushed himself up with the help of Lana.

‘Right we better get back and retrieve your parts.’ she replied ‘can you stand?’

‘Yes.’ he said as he nodded weakly, once again allowing Lana to help him to his feet.

After retrieving the egg they made their way back to the rolling fortress, both feeling the tolls of recent events as the contraption came into view over the ridge. Din could feel himself wavering as they traipsed ever closer to the Jawa’s and their Sandcrawler.

‘Mando.’ waived Kuill as he trotted down the ramp.

Din waved weakly at the Ugnaught as they came to a standstill opposite him.

‘I'm surprised you waited.’ said the Mandalorian as he looked down at his companion.

‘I’m surprised you took so long.’ he replied before leading them back towards the Sandcrawler.

§

When they made it back to the Razor crest the sun and fallen past the horizon and plunged the desert into darkness. Din and Lana inspected the ship, tutting at the state it was in.

‘There is no way we're gonna get this to work without a full maintenance facility. This is gonna take days to fix.’ grumbled Din to Kuiil.

‘If you care to help it might go faster. There is much work to do.’ Replied the Ugnaught dryly as he started to unload the parts.

They worked on the ship through the night, the morning sun filling the sky with warm golden light. Lana was helping Din hammer a panel into place, her brow glittering with sweat from the exertion.

‘Looks like we’re almost done.’ She stated as they finished up and walked up the ramp into the ship.

‘Yes.’ he stated flatly before, grabbing hold of the wall for support.

‘Mando?’ Said Lana as she noticed this.

‘I’m fine.’ he stated as he let go and straightened himself ‘just a little tired.’

Lana wasn’t convinced, she watched him as he walked forwards toward the ladder that lead to the cockpit. He grabbed the bars with his hands and pulled himself up, wincing as he let himself dropped back to his feet.

‘Mando…’

Lana stopped as she watched in horror as Din collapsed, his armour making clanging against the metal floor as his he hit it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Nose is permently stuck in my book atm. Hope you enjoy.

‘Mando?’ Lana said, her voice wobbling as she sprinted to his side ‘shit, Mando.’ she shook him in an attempt to wake him but nothing.

She could feel her heart racing in her throat as she fumbled about in the pack over her shoulder, pulling out the scanner her mother had given her. Placing it down on the floor beside him she removed his chest plate then picked up the scanner again, waving it over him and breathing a sigh of relief at the readings. His back was okay which had been her main concern. He had a few broken ribs and he was definitely bruised but nothing life-threatening there. The only thing she didn't know was whether he had sustained any head injuries, something she would not know unless she removed his helmet. She pulled the black glove of her hand and slipped it under the left-hand side of his helmet, shivering at the sensation of his hair between her fingertips. She slid them around and found nothing so removed her other glove and slid her right hand under the other side of his helmet. She immediately found his hair to be wet and sticky, pulling her hand away she saw her fingertips were painted red.

‘Oh no.’ she breathed, her hand starting to shake as she looked up at the child who was now watching her carefully ‘He’s okay little one… He’s going to be fine.’

She wasn’t sure whether the last statement was supposed to reassure the child or her. She sat there for a moment, racking her brain for what to do. She knew she couldn't remove his helmet. He’s a Mandalorian, it’s forbidden but without removing it she didn’t know the extent of his head wound. She remembered her mother telling her that blood and head wounds were usually not a good mix.

‘What do I do?’ she asked herself.

She looked at the child again who’s ears had dipped. Something she had come to realise meant that the child was sad or concerned and her heart shattered. At that moment she decided that she had to save him, no matter what that meant. She wiped her bloodied fingers on her pant leg and placed both hands on either side of the warrior's helmet, lifting it gently to reveal a bloodied face beneath. Half his face was caked in blood, his hair sticking to his forehead and cheek. It was longer than Lana had expected and curly. She’d already known that he had a golden complexion but now that she had a face to put it too she realised he was a lot more handsome than she’d imagined. She shook her head in order to focus her to the task at hand. She waved the scanner over his head and looked at the results that came back to her.

‘Shit! Fractured skull.’ she breathed, as she turned his head slightly to see the wound to the back of his head ‘does this helmet not protect your head?’

She wasn’t sure who she was speaking to as she turned his head back so that she could look at his face again. She jumped at a sudden sound beside her and looked down to see the kid at her side. He climbed over the Mandalorian’s prone form and waddled towards his head, his face dropping at the sight.

‘It’s bad little one.’ Said Lana, in a sad tone.

She watched as the kid placed it’s tiny clawed hand on his head, closing its eyes as its body started to shake in concentration. Lana picked him up, the kid screeching at her in annoyance of being interrupted.

‘I think I know what you’re doing and you’ve only just woken up from the last magic act.’ she said softly as she stroked his ear ‘healing him will probably kill you little one.’

She popped the baby back in his pram and pressed the button to close the doors, the child screaming in protest within.

‘Sorry little one but it’s for your own good.’ she said as she walked back to the unconscious man on the floor.

She knew that sometimes head fractures healed with time, so she decided to raid his ship for any medical supplies that he might have. She found some Bacta, bandages, dressings and clothes which she carried over to him. She soaked the cloth in some Bacta and went around cleaning his head would, making sure to apply plenty of the Bacta to the injury. She then soaked a dressing in the liquid before placing it over the wound, lift his head and wrapping it in a bandage to keep the dressing in place.

‘Well let's hope that's enough.’ she said to herself as she gently lowered his head onto the ground.

She then fetched a pillow from his bunk and a blanket which she used in an attempt to make him more comfortable on the bay floor. She removed the rest of his armour, placing it gently on a bench that lined one of the walls and that sat down beside it. She let her head fall back against the metal, her eyes tracing the welds on the ceiling as she concentrated on calming her breathing. She hadn’t felt herself drift off, woken by the sounds of pained moans below her and she looked down to find the Mandalorian waking, Kuiil knelt beside him.

‘What happened?’ he asked, his eyes scrunching in pain as he fought his way through the fog in his mind.

‘You got pretty knocked about by the mudhorn.’ she said as she pushed herself off the bench and stood over him.

She watched as his hands went to his face, and then panic filling his features ‘Where’s my helmet.’

‘Just here.’ said Kuiil pointing at the man's armour.

Lana looked at him and found she’d quite forgotten he’d been there.

‘I had to remove it. You’d sustained a serious head injury that needed to be treated or you were going to die.’

‘Better that than this.’ he spat, tears filling his eyes as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

Kuiil caught him as he wavered, dizziness hitting him and he waited until it passed before looking at Lana.

‘I will leave now.’ stated Kuiil ‘the ship is repaired so my work here is done.’

With that the Ugnaught stood and left, not saying another word just leaving Lana and the Mandalorian alone. The air was thick with tension as they stared at each other, his face one of thunder. The blood was gone, Kuiil must have cleaned it whilst she slept and now she was able to see him properly. His eyes were a dark brown, his lips full with a stubbled moustache framing the top one. She could see him wavering again and she lowered herself down to his side, helping him lower himself down onto his back. They said nothing to each other as she picked up her scanner and waved it over his head, nodding at the results before putting it back in her pack.

‘You head injury is healing nicely. You’re going to be fine. I need to wrap your ribs though as quite a few of them are broken. I couldn't do it whilst you were unconscious.’ Said Lana, her tone flat.

‘I’ll be fine.’

‘No, you won’t. If they aren’t treated it could lead to a punctured lung and that can lead to infection.’ Lana spat, feeling her anger rising at his attitude towards her helping him.

He tapped away on his vambrace, the bay door suddenly creaking and moaning as the hydraulics lifted it up and the light of day was stolen away. The room was then dimly lit as she looked him square in the eye, her gaze not faltering as he glared at her.

‘Ok.’

‘Ok.’ she replied as she jumped to her feet and grabbed more bandages ‘I’ll need to take your flight suit off.’

A different expression crossed his face then and at a glance, it looked like embarrassment. He then simply nodded and allowed Lana to help him stand, wavering for a moment before steadying himself by holding one of the many metal supports. Lana went about unfastening the clothing, pulling it over his shoulders to reveal a toned body beneath. She felt her own cheeks flushing at the sight, her fingers running over the bruises forming on his torso. He shivered to her touch, finding his anger slip away and be replaced by something he’d never felt before.

‘Sorry.’ Said Lana upon feeling this, returning her attention to the reason he was bare-chested in the first place.

She started to wrap the bandages around his bruised ribs, wincing in sympathy and the pained groans this elicited from the man. When she was done she tied them off and helped him get his arms back into his sleeves, slowly fastening the flight suit again. Din watched her, his heart racing to her touch and he found himself involuntarily grabbing her hand as she finished redressing him.

‘Thank you.’ he said softly as his eyes locked with hers.

She could feel his heart pounding beneath her fingertips and found that hers did too. She leaned into his touch, their faces mere inches apart. She could feel his breath on her skin and it sent a wave of pleasure through her.

‘I’ll see if you have something to manage the pain.’ said Lana suddenly, pulling herself away from the man.

Her breathing came to her in short, quick gasps as she fought to control the urges that now surged through her. Din watched her walk away from him, his heart still racing as these new thoughts emotions assaulted his mind.

‘Here.’ she said as she returned and passed him some pills, pouring two into his palm.

Din nodded at her and watched as she walked away again, climbing up the ladder towards the cockpit and out of view. A dull thumping tore his attention away from her and to the pram that sat in the corner. Tapping at his vambrace the doors opened to reveal a miserable face beneath. That face soon changed upon seeing who was looking down at him. The Mandalorian realised that he had no idea who he was now, not recognising him without his helmet. He looked at the metal mask that sat proudly beside his armour, the child’s eyes following his before letting out a cheerful chirp. He looked back at the child upon hearing this sound and saw recognition in its large brown eyes. He felt a pang of guilt upon remembering that he needed to hand him over to the imp, could he really do that? His thoughts then went to the fact that he couldn’t put his helmet on now. Lana and Kuiil had seen his face now. Kuiil he trusted to take that secret to his grave but Lana… he barely knew her. He could kill her and then the problem would go away but could he do that? Could he kill the woman that had saved him?… twice! He looked over at the ladder, his eyes travelling to the round hole that leads to the upper deck. His feet drove him forward, hands grabbing the bars and pulling him upwards and into a small opening with the door to the cockpit to his left. He tapped the pad beside it and the door swooshed open to reveal Lana sat on the co-pilot seat staring out across the desert plain. She turned her head quickly to face him upon hearing him enter, rising quickly to her feet.

‘Everything okay?’ she said nervously, unsure of what was to follow.

‘Yes.’ he replied, standing in front of her and taking her in ‘You’ve seen my face now… this means that I can’t put the helmet back on. I am no longer a Mandalorian.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Lana stuttered, one hand gripping the back of the chair behind her ‘I won’t tell anyone I saw it I swear, your secret is safe with me I promise.’

Din took her hand in his, his heart leading his motions now as he pulled her towards him.

‘I know you’ll keep my secret.’ he said, his free hand grabbing her waist and pulling her close to him.

Her heart was racing again now, breathing ragged and uneven as her eyes wandered from his eyes to his lips before quickly flicking back again.

‘Mando I…’ she was interrupted by his soft lips on hers.

She sunk into it, her own arms wrapping around his waist as he kissed her more hungrily. She wondered if he had done this before, he knew what he was doing as his tongue parted her lips so he could taste her. He stepped backwards, sitting in the pilot's chair and pulling her with him. Lana straddled him as their kissing became more heated, a fire building within her and making her want to take it further. She ran her fingers through his hair and he started to kiss along her cheek, her jaw and then down her neck. Eliciting a pleasured moan from her lips before he grabbed the back for her hand and pulled them back to his again. They pulled away, their eyes locked, their desire for each other evident.

‘Marry me.’ he said suddenly ‘Marry me and I can remain a Mandalorian but be with you like this.’

Her breath hitched in her throat, her mouth agape at the man's proposal. Her words escaped her as she tried to respond, all the while his hopeful brown eyes watched and waited for her reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be more from these two. Look out for the next installment.


End file.
